Hop Head Red

Redolent of American hops, Hop Head Red is aptly named, with a monster aromatic assault of satsuma, pine needles, grapefruit and gooseberries. Deep copper, verging on brown, this brew throws the barest hint of a haze and is topped by a dense, off-white head. No subtle aromas here – this is in-your-face hoppiness taken to its extreme conclusion. Still, there is a bit of sweet caramel malt lurking somewhere underneath the hops. Lee called the aroma “racy, sharp and sexy,” while Rick considered the resiny, oily, grapefruit notes to be almost “catty.” The huge hop aroma carries through to the flavor, with brash piney, citrusy and resinous flavors all fighting for dominance. The malt is there, as expected for the style, but it merely plays a supporting role to the aggressive bitterness and hop flavors. According to Tim, the beer is, “Hops! From beginning to end,” and he calls it the perfect beer for those who really like hops. Pete, too, commented on the complex layering of pine, citrus-fruit and herb-garden hop flavors but went on to praise the toasted, English muffin-like malt that balanced the hops. This beer fairly bursts with hops, and as someone commented, “It’s an IPA in amber ale’s clothing.” Hop Head Red is unapologetically hop-centric, and while a little over the top for style, it is, as Rick says, “enjoyably naughty.”